Stability enhancement of garlic essential oil using new opopanax gum/gelatin nanofibres

Opopanax gum/gelatin nanofibre was produced by the electrospinning method, and the efficiency of this new technique for encapsulation of garlic essential oil was investigated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results showed the physical and weak interactions between opopanax gum and gelatin, as well as the improvement of their thermal stability in the nanofibres structure. Incorporating 10% garlic essential oil based on biopolymer weight in nanofibres was considered the best percentage. The results confirmed the presence of garlic essential oil in the nanofibres and the improvement of its thermal stability by entrapment to the nanofibre structure. The data of analysis of the stability of garlic essential oil in the forms of free and encapsulated conditions showed that its stability increased at 25 °C from 20 days to more than 60 days. It indicated the efficiency of opopanax gum/gelatin nanofibres as an applicable coating material for stability enhancement of essential oils.     

Magnetocaloric Properties of the Perovskite GdCuO3: Monte Carlo Simulation

Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism - This work aims to examine the magnetocaloric properties of the Perovskite GdCuO3, such as the total magnetization, the susceptibility, and the...     

弯剪作用下螺栓角部连接的性能分析

研究了腹板角钢尺寸对双腹板顶底角钢的弯曲-转动性能影响。研究中采用了多个三维有限元模型,以其几何和材料特性作为影响参数。在这些模型中,所有的连接组件,如梁、柱、角钢及螺栓都采用实体单元建模。构件间的相互作用效应,如螺栓滑移和摩擦,采用表面接触算法建模。为更精确地评估连接件的性能,在栓杆上施加预拉力作为第一荷载。     

Extraction of Essential Oils From the Seeds of Pomegranate Using Organic Solvents and Supercritical CO2

In this study, essential oils from pomegranate seeds of the Malas variety from Shahreza, Iran, were extracted using hexane and petroleum benzene applying four extraction methods: normal stirring, soxhlet, microwave irradiation, and ultrasonic irradiation. Also, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using CO₂ under different conditions was used for comparison. Different methods of extraction with organic solvents (normal stirring, soxhlet, microwave irradiation, and ultrasonic irradiation) showed significant differences in the extraction yields. However, no differences were found when a given method (e.g., microwave irradiation) was applied using different organic solvents. On the other hand, different extraction conditions from the various runs of SFE resulted in different extraction yields, all of which were lower than those of the other extraction methods using organic solvents. No significant differences were observed in the fatty acid compositions of the extracted oils using organic solvents. However, the fatty acid compositions of the oils extracted under different conditions of the SFE system indicated significant differences among several fatty acids including unsaturated fatty acids.     

Chemical composition changes in four green olive cultivars during spontaneous fermentation

Changes in some physico-chemical characteristics (pH and free acidity) and chemical composition (sugars, total phenolic and flavonoid contents) of four olive cultivars during spontaneous fermentation in brine were investigated. The cultivars were typical of the Moroccan market: “Moroccan Picholine”, “Languedoc Picholine”, “Ascolana” and “Sevillana”. The physico-chemical changes of olives and brines during fermentation process were monitored. A similar pattern of pH was noticed for the “Moroccan Picholine”, “Languedoc Picholine” and “Ascolana” cultivars with a final pH ranging between 4.4 and 4.6. The profile of free acidity measured throughout fermentation period in brines was in agreement with the pH trend. The concentration of sugars, total phenolic and flavonoids contents in olives flesh and brines during fermentation is reported. The loss of flavonoids, sugars and total phenolic contents in the olive flesh by the end of fermentation process was up to 60%, 63% and 79% in “Languedoc Picholine”, “Sevillana” and “Moroccan Picholine”, respectively. The main phenols identified and quantified in the different brines at the end of brining process were hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, (+)-catechin and quercetine. The highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were obtained in Moroccan Picholine brine after 71 days of fermentation.     

Physicochemical characterization of actinomycetes isolated from decayed cedar wood: contact angle measurement

Physicochemical characterization of microorganism is very important in a wide range of scientific and technological fields. In this study, we reported the isolation and the molecular identification of actinomycetes recovered from cedar wood decay. The isolates named H5 and H8 were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and were shown to belong to the genus Nocardia and Streptomyces, respectively. Furthermore, physicochemical proprieties including hydrophobicity, electron donor/acceptor, and the Lifshitz–van der Waals (γ^LW) of these strains were evaluated using contact angle measurements. The results showed that Nocardia sp. (H5) had a hydrophobic (ΔGiwi?=??78.56?mJ/m²) and a weak electron donor/acceptor character. In contrast, results from contact angle measurements showed that the surface free energy of Streptomyces strains (H2, H3, and H8) were ΔGiwi?=?20.71?mJ/m², ΔGiwi?=?30.63?mJ/m², and ΔGiwi?=?15.35?mJ/m², respectively, classifying these microorganisms as hydrophilic bacterium. Moreover, the three strains were predominantly electron donating (γ^–?) and exhibit a weak electron-accepting (γ⁺) character.     

Rye secalin characterisation and use to improve zein-based film performance

Rye prolamins (secalin) were extracted, characterised and used as biopolymer source to produce plasticised films, as well as composite films in the presence of corn zein. Secalin film showed lower contact angle values and higher moisture content, solubility and swelling index than zein film, whereas the water vapour permeability of the two films was not different. Also, secalin film exhibited lower tensile strength and Young’s modulus and higher elongation at break. The average functional properties of the secalin/zein blend were morphologically confirmed by SEM analysis of the composite film surface that showed a good miscibility and compatibility of the two different biopolymers. These results indicated that secalin films were less hydrophobic and more flexible than those previously prepared by using other prolamins, whereas a material with hydrophobic features similar to those of zein films and a flexibility comparable to that exhibited by secalin films was obtained by preparing a secalin/zein blend.     

Investigating the effect of basalt fiber additive on the performance of clay barriers for radioactive waste disposals

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - Radioactive materials are widely used in mining, manufacturing, medicine, and agricultural processes. The waste products from these materials...